WILL JEFFERSON

'William Ingleby Jefferson' (born October 25, 1979) is a professional cricketer who played for Essex County Cricket Club until 2006, and has joined Nottinghamshire for the 2007 season. Standing about 6 foot 10 inches (2.08 m) tall,^[1] he is the tallest player in county cricket, and among the tallest professional cricketers ever.^[2]
Jefferson is a right-handed opening batsman and a reliable slip fielder. He was born in Derby to a cricketing family; his father Richard Jefferson played first-class cricket for Surrey. He showed his promise at Oundle School and Durham University, and made his first-class debut for British Universities against the touring Zimbabweans in 2000.
His first full season at Essex was 2002, during which he scored 815 first-class runs; his 165 not out in the final match of the season^[3]
made a major contribution to Essex winning the second division of the County Championship.
His best season so far was 2004, in which he scored 1555 first-class runs at an average of 55.53 with 6 centuries including a high score of 222.^[4] In 2005, a slump in form saw him relegated to the Essex Second XI, but he responded with 303 not out against MCC Young Cricketers,^[5] and regained his place in the first team.
Before the start of the 2006 season, he suffered a freak accident, cutting his left wrist whilst trying to open a window, and severing the tendons.^[6] After recovering from this injury, he failed to regain a regular place in the Essex side, and left the county by mutual consent in August 2006.^[7] In September of that year, he signed a three-year contract with Nottinghamshire.^[8]
In January 2007, he was selected for the England A team to tour Bangladesh in February and March.^[9][10]

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References

Notes

1. Sources differ as to his height. Cricinfo gives 6 ft 9½ in, the ECB and many other sources give 6 ft 10 in, and Essex County Cricket Club gives 6 ft 10½ in. (Final reference retrieved 16 April 2006, no longer present as of 29 August 2006).
2. Paul Dunkels who represented Sussex and Warwickshire is also reputed to be 6 foot 10 inches tall (Cricinfo Profile). The height of Anthony Allom of Surrey is recorded as between 6 foot 9 inches and 6 foot 10 inches (Cricinfo Profile)
3. Essex vs Nottinghamshire, 18–21 September 2002 from CricketArchive
4. Jefferson's first-class batting averages by season from CricketArchive
5. Essex Second XI v Marylebone Cricket Club Young Cricketers, 10–12 August 2005 from CricketArchive
6. Jefferson suffers freak injury from Cricinfo
7. Press release from Essex County Cricket Club
8. Press release from Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
9. Press release from the ECB
10. Press release from Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club

References

★

★ William Jefferson from CricketArchive

★ Will Jefferson from Essex County Cricket Club. (Reference retrieved 16 April 2006, no longer present as of 29 August 2006).

★ Will Jefferson from the ECB

★ ''Essex boy on natural high'' from Evening Standard

★ ''Getting to Know: Will Jefferson'' from World A-Team